1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a preview and playback method of video streams and more particularly, to a method capable of automatically playing preview data of a plurality of independent video streams and a preview and playback system thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional TV set receives radio frequency (RF) signals from TV stations via an antenna or a cable to play cable over-the-air TV programs. In operation, a user can watch all TV programs played on a channel by simply inputting the number of the channel with a remote control. When the user is about to switch channels, he/she can do so by inputting the number of the desired channel with the remote control or by pressing down the channel up/down keys on the remote control, which is very intuitional and convenient.
However, along with the explosive growth of the Internet, video transmission through the Internet has become a new means to watch videos or TV programs. Regarding existing Internet video or Internet TV techniques, a specific application program has to be installed in advance in order to play programs provided by a corresponding online video service. To be specific, a user needs to manually start a specific application program, browse available programs, and select a desired program through the operation interface of the application program.
Moreover, the existing Internet video services typically allow the user to browse messages, such as cover photos of videos, introduction of video programs and so forth, so as to select the video program to be watched. Accordingly, the user has to change his/her operation habit of watching conventional TV programs and choose the desired program by using the four arrow keys, the “confirm/select” key, and the “enter” key on the remote control. Obviously, such an operation pattern is very complicated compared to the conventional one in which a channel is selected by directly inputting the number of the channel or pressing the channel up/down keys. Besides, since different application programs have different operation interfaces, and contents and types of programs provided through the Internet are numerous, a user has to keep his/her eyes on the screen to perform operations and correctly select the content desired to watch. Accordingly, as for the Internet video services, how to allow the user to choose a video program in easy and quick way has become an important subject.